Sponsors (7)
Introduced May 21, 2025 by Jeanne Shaheen · Last progress May 21, 2025
The bill expands U.S. visibility and enforcement tools against Haitian gang-elite networks—strengthening reporting, sanctions authority, border protections, and safeguarding humanitarian aid—while posing risks to diplomacy and vulnerable people, imposing compliance burdens on businesses, and creating short-term program uncertainty due to an automatic five-year sunset.
State and local policymakers (and federal policymakers) receive annual, evidence-based unclassified reports (with a classified annex option) on gang-elite links in Haiti, improving policymaking, intergovernmental coordination, and congressional oversight.
Border communities and immigration authorities gain clearer identification of criminal networks trafficking people to the U.S., helping inform border security, immigration responses, and targeting of enforcement.
U.S. and Haitian authorities receive information that can inform efforts to reduce illicit firearms flows and violence in Haiti, potentially improving safety for local communities and reducing cross-border violence drivers.
Designated foreign persons and their families lose eligibility for U.S. visas and entry (and related immigration benefits) immediately upon revocation, directly restricting travel and immigration options for affected individuals.
Public identification of elites and the use of strong sanctions could complicate U.S. diplomacy, constrain U.S. policy flexibility, and risk retaliation against partners or sources—especially given limited waiver mechanisms and short congressional notice periods.
Broad blocking authority, criminal penalties, and new sanctions compliance requirements could impose significant costs on U.S. businesses and banks and encourage over-compliance that disrupts lawful trade and financial services.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Requires the State Department, working with other agencies, to produce an unclassified report (with optional classified annex) identifying links between Haitian criminal gangs and political/economic elites. The report must be delivered within 180 days of enactment and annually for five years. The President must impose blocking sanctions, visa bans, and automatic revocations against foreign individuals or entities the report identifies as having direct, significant links to gangs, with carve-outs for UN obligations and humanitarian transactions. The law sunsets five years after enactment.